


mr. toad

by merrylightcavalrymen



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Firelord Zuko (Avatar), Fluff, M/M, idk what to tag this, it's just zukka being sweet and zuko dealing with being a firelord by talking to a toad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:14:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25532680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/merrylightcavalrymen/pseuds/merrylightcavalrymen
Summary: “Zuko, who are you talking to?”“Nobody!”“...Is that a frog?”
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 317





	mr. toad

**Author's Note:**

> inspired by this absolutely adorable drawing that has my entire heart https://azu1as.tumblr.com/post/622356252855582720/doodle-zuko-and-that-toad-pl%C3%B6s-and-thx <3 also another post on tumblr about Zuko going back to the western air temple to bring that toad back and have him there but i can't find it :(

Sokka was meandering through the halls of the palace when he thought he could hear a voice coming from one of the rooms. Curious, he strode toward it and as the voice grew louder he realised it was simply Zuko rehearsing an address. Sokka smiled and decided to leave him to it before an unfamiliar sound drew him back in.

He planted his ear back against the door and strained to hear it again … was Zuko in there with someone? Before he could find an answer, the door swung open with a creek under his weight and Sokka fell to the floor with an “Aaahh!”

Zuko startled backwards and looked to him with both confusion and concern.

“Hi Zuko,” Sokka said sheepishly, jumping up from the floor.

The Firelord gave a small wave with his other hand tucked behind his back - which didn’t escape Sokka’s notice.

“Were you in here with someone?” he asked cautiously.

“No!”

A loud croak, however, belied his words and Zuko’s face turned pink.

“Is that a frog?” Sokka asked incredulously.

The other sighed and brought his other hand to his front, presenting an unbothered-looking toad who gave another croak.

“His name is Mr. Toad.”

Silence.

“Well, that’s what I call him anyway. He doesn’t have an actual name.”

Sokka couldn’t help stare at the sight before him: the most powerful being in the Fire nation holding before him a large toad (named “Mr. Toad”) whom he had previously been practising an important speech to.

“Wh- When did you get him?” He chose to ask.

“Well,” Zuko began awkwardly, “Remember that absolutely vital retreat Aang and I had to go on alone?”

“The one that took weeks of convincing and preparation because it was extremely risky?”

Zuko gave a nod.

“Spirits… All that for a toad? Here I was thinking maybe you were cheating on me but maybe it’s really this frog I have to watch out for.”

“You thought I was cheating on you?!” Zuko spluttered.

“No!” Sokka cried, “I just heard you and a weird voice in a secluded room and the thought crossed my mind!”

“I’m not cheating on you, Sokka,” he responded earnestly, “And I never will. I love you too much for that.”

Sokka looked at the man across him and began to tear up. “I love you too.”

They stood there for a moment before another croak disrupted their silence.

“I think he’s getting hungry,” Zuko said, “I’ll take him to the pond and feed him along with the turtleducks.

Sokka shook his head and muttered a “you and animals…” then followed him to the garden.

Upon their entrance they were met with enthusiastic quacking and a group of small turtleducks swimming towards them. Zuko set Mr. Toad aside and told them to play nice as he released some insects for them to eat. 

He then sat back against the tree and closed his eyes, resting in the shade.

  
“Tired?” Sokka asked. Zuko hummed a ‘yeah’.

He settled himself against the tree beside him and watched Mr. Toad and the turtleducks quarrel over food as the glowing sun slowly sank and the sky cast them in shades of orange.

“Being Firelord is harder than I thought,” he heard Zuko admit. He continued, still with his eyes closed, “I have so many people to please, so many people to care for, so many people who despise and distrust me. I have to make all of them happy all the while trying to be nothing like my father.”

Sokka turned to him, “You don’t have to be Firelord, you know. You could get your uncle or someone to stand in for now.”

“No, no,” he replied, “I wouldn’t do that to him. He deserves a break from the war and I think he enjoys his new tea store. Besides, I want to help the people all I can.”

“Well, just know that you don’t have to do it alone.”

He saw a smile pass over his face as he replied, “Have I told you I loved you lately?”

“Like ten minutes ago when you said you weren’t cheating on me with a toad.”

Zuko laughed. “We’re just friends.”

“I sure hope so.” 

He listened to Zuko tell the story of how he met Mr. Toad at the Western Air Temple when he was figuring out what to say to the group - Sokka smiled as he recalled that day (including how Zuko’s sudden appearance and plea to join the group did not exactly go well, even despite practising in front of the toad, but elected not to point that out). It seemed so long ago yet simultaneously felt like only yesterday.

Zuko continued his tale on how he felt bad for yelling at Mr. Toad and convinced Aang to let him come along whilst he was revisiting the temple for additional information on the Air nation. His sentences gradually faded and grew heavier with tiredness. Sokka opened his eyes that he hadn’t noticed he had closed to look over him and found him snoring gently. He shifted against the tree and decided to join him in sleep.

\--

The next day when Zuko went into an important meeting with a toad in his arms and let him sit in the seat beside him, nobody was bold enough to ask what it was about.

**Author's Note:**

> quick fic bc i wanted to finish somethingg - i literally have almost 20 started works but i cant bring myself to finish any of them whoops // updated a bit bc i read over it and realised i left a sentence unfinished- this is why we don’t write and publish things at 3am, kids


End file.
